News & Announcements

International workshop on “Identifying Priority Areas in Wildlife Conservation and the Role of KVASU” begins on 25th November 2014 at Pookode Campus

                        Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University is organizing an International workshop on “Identifying Priority Areas in Wildlife Conservation and the Role of KVASU” from 25th to 27th November 2014 at its Pookode Campus. This would be an opportunity for all State level and international collaborators of the wildlife mission of KVASU to meet and discuss projects for onward collaboration and partnerships in the areas of wildlife education and research at KVASU. The three day international workshop will be inaugurated by Dr. Joseph Mathew, Registrar, KVASU, at 9.00 AM on the 25th at Periyar Hall, at the University Head Quarters at Pookode. Director of Entrepreneurship Dr.T.P.Sethumadhavan will preside over the function. Director, Academics & Research Dr.K.Devada, Director International collaboration Dr.K.P.Sreekumar, Dr. P.S. Easa, Director of Kerala Forest Research Institute (Peechi), Sri. Pramod G. Krishan IFS (Conservator of Forests (Wildlife), Northern Region), international experts from University of Edinburgh (Scotland) and University of Calgary (Canada) will offer felicitations. Faculty and students of KVASU will attend the Workshop.

               Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University has tremendous advantage in the Indian wildlife education scenario with its location in Wayanad, a part of the biodiversity rich Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve region. The University is also a pioneer in the establishment of a common platform for biologists and veterinarians to work together for wildlife welfare, in the form of its Centre for Wildlife Studies established in 2011 at Pookode. The Centre spearheads the wildlife mission of the University, attracting students and experts from different parts of India as well as abroad. Moreover to cater the wildlife education and research requirements, the wildlife rescue, veterinary care and rehabilitation activities of the University in close collaboration with the Kerala State Forest Department also needs special mention.

During the workshop, Dr. P.S. Easa, (Director, KFRI), Sri. Pramod G. Krishnan IFS (Conservator of Forests (Wildlfe), Northern Region) and Dr. Arun Zachariah (Assistant Professor, KVASU Centre for Wildlife Studies, Pookode) will be talking on how KVASU can contribute effectively to wildlife conservation in the years to come. The international experts participating in the workshop are Dr. Natalie Waran, Anna Meredith, Heather Bacon, Neil Anderson, Hayley Walters and David Smith of University of Edinburgh, Scotland, and Dr. Nigel Caulkett of University of Calgary, Canada, who would also be talking on their respective areas of specialization in the field of conservation. The workshop would also discuss development of collaborative academic and research programmes and exchange of faculty and students between partnering organizations.

The workshop is a major by-product of three years of multidisciplinary national and international collaborative ventures developed by KVASU in various areas including wildlife science. KVASU has already established MoUs for collaboration with the Kerala Forest Research Institute, Kerala State Forest Department and the University of Edinburgh, Scotland. The University has already completed a collaborative student research project involving faculty of University of Calgary, Canada, and is expected to sign an MoU for collaboration in the near future.A workshop on Conservation Medicine will be arranged for post graduate students of KVASU on the 28th by the faculty of University of Edinburgh. The latter workshop is envisaged to provide KVASU students an insight into the concept of Conservation Medicine and would provide exposure about the challenges faced by wildlife in the global scenario.